9 killed, more than 40 hurt in shootings

June 11, 2012 2:48:58 PM PDT

June 11, 2012 (CHICAGO) --

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says despite the weekend violence, the number of shootings is actually down compared to last year.

Over the weekend, nine people were killed and more than 40 others were hurt in shootings across the city. The youngest victim to die over the weekend is Joseph Briggs, 16, who was shot to death at his home in the 6100-block of South Rockwell Street on Saturday night. He attended Gage Park High School.

"I was just on the porch with my brother," Maggie Briggs said. "Why would somebody do this?"

Briggs was sitting on his front porch when police said a gray vehicle pulled up and someone shot at him. Police say the shooting may be gang-related, but they don't know if he was the intended target.

Briggs' death follows on the heels of a weekend full of violence across the city that began with a fatal shooting on Friday. By Sunday night, nine people had been fatally shot and dozens of others were injured.

Fatal Shootings:

Friday: At 4:30 p.m., two men -- Rashuan Stephany, 22; and Mario Jackson, 26, -- in the 5100-block of South May Street.

Saturday: At 12:49 a.m., Kenneth Jones, 27, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head; at 10:20 a.m., Derrick Wilderson, 21, was fatally shot to in the chest while sitting in a sedan parked on 111th Street near South Edbrooke Avenue; at 8 p.m., Joseph Briggs, 16,was shot to death in the 6100-block of South Rockwell Street.

Sunday: At 2:20 a.m. Donnell Smith, 49, was shot to death in the 7500-block of South Drexel; at 11:15 p.m., two people -- Jonathan Duncan and Shondell Adams -- were killed when someone fired shots into a crows in the 700-block of West 50th Place.

Monday: At 2:15 a.m., Dante Kyles, 27, was shot in the chest while inside a vehicle in the 9300-block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said compared to 2011 there is actually an 8% reduction in shootings.

"It's going to take some time. It doesn't make anyone feel any better, but we're doing better than last year. But it's going to take some time to get this under control, because it didn't get like this overnight," Supt. McCarthy said. "It starts with deployment. We disbanded big task forces; we put resources into the district; we're holding them accountable, putting cops on the dots and putting them in the right place. That's where it starts."

McCarthy also says that police cannot "arrest their way out of this problem." He also stressed that police officers need help from the community members, who should not be tolerant of violent behavior.

On Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn signed an anti-violence bill that gives authorities more power to prosecute gang members.